CinderHana
by Lady Aoi
Summary: Hanagata gets beaten up one too many times and has the strangest, campiest, and dare we say it, cheesiest fractured fairy tale of a dream. So rated for a tiiiiny bit of shounen-ai and a little cursing.
1. Default Chapter

CinderHana  
A SMJ Fairy Tale  
by  
Lady Aoi  
  
Summary: Hanagata gets hit on the head one too many times and has the strangest, campiest and dare we say it cheesiest dream...  
Rating: PG (only a tiny bit of shounen-ai and a few curses)  
Disclaimer: While I don't own Saber Marionette, Cinderella is fair game, baby XD.  
Lady Aoi's Notes: I apologize if the depictions of the marionettes in this story seem both unflattering to the characters and to women in general. The intent here is not to be sexist (if you knew me, the implication that I am anything but decidedly pro-woman would be just as hilarious to you as I find it), but to depict things from Hanagata's viewpoint. This is Hanagata's dream and as we all know Hanagata, at least in SMJ, sees the marionettes as romantic rivals AND as defective pieces of equipment, not real women.  
  
Dedication: This fic was inspired by the zanies at M2A. I love you guys...  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Whimpering, Hanagata slowly backed up into the corner of Otaru's apartment as the three angry marionettes closed in around him.  
  
"N--n--now, now, l--ladies," he stammered, praying his quivering legs wouldn't collapse beneath him before he found an opening in the furious robotic wall and escaped to the safety of the street or his apartment or even possibly the trap door beneath Otaru's kitchen table. "Can't we just reason this out like *gulp* like civilized men and m--m--marionettes?"  
  
"NO!"  
  
Three seconds later, the marionettes stood staring through the Hanagata-shaped hole in their roof as the individual responsible for its creation vanished into the sky above them with a pitiful "You're SO MEAN TO ME!!!!!"  
  
Bloodberry's snarl mingled with an equally disgusted hiss of steam from her arm as she unclenched her fist. "You know something," she said to the two marionettes standing beside her. "I really hate that damn Hana-ko."  
  
"Indeed. When will he learn that he's far from being wanted here," Cherry fumed. "Thank goodness Otaru-sama was out fishing this morning when he arrived. Otherwise --"  
  
Bloodberry's eyes narrowed even further. "I know, Cherry," she growled. "It was bad enough that we had to watch him parade around in that bikini."  
  
"Sugoi! Hannie-chan's really flying far this time," Lime observed as she raised a hand to shield her dark green eyes from the rising sun.  
  
"Eh," Bloodberry shrugged. "He'll probably just land in a tree somewhere or something. And anyway, who cares? We've got shopping to do and I'm gonna beat you the butcher's, Cherry!"  
  
"You -- you uncouth hag!" Cherry screamed as Bloodberry took off running. "I told you I would be the one to purchase the beef for Otaru-sama's meal tonight!"  
  
"Mouuu, no fair, Bloodberry! Wait up!"  
  
"Hahaha!! I'll beat you both there, little girls!"  
  
"Wait UUUUUUUUP!"  
  
"This is entirely inappropriate!"  
  
And the streets of Japoness were soon filled with the angry shouts of Otaru Otaru's three marionettes as they raced to the butcher shop, thoughts of pleasing their master the only things on their mind.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!"  
  
In a small park near the heart of Japoness, Hanagata's little brother Yumeji looked up from a game of shogi with a maroon ponta cub to find the source of the wailing above him.  
  
Yumeji's blue eyes followed his big brother's form as it flew over the swings and the slippery slide and finally landed with several crashes (and some curse words that would have earned either Hanagata sibling a prompt spanking at his father's hands had he been present) in the forest beyond. Yumeji stood slowly and waited until the noises of frightened animals, rustling foliage and a pissed off Mitsurugi subsided. And then he sighed and slowly looked down to his maroon friend.  
  
"Ponta-kun," he said after a moment. "Why did I inherit all the smart genes in this family?"  
  
"Myaoh myaho?!"  
  
"Never mind," Yumeji sighed, scooped the ponta-kun up and placed him on his shoulders. "Let's go find him before he hurts himself any more, huh?"  
  
"Myaoh! Myaho! Myaaaaoh!"  
  
And the two friends made their way into the forest.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Mnnnn....Otaru-kun....it.... hurts...." Hanagata whimpered as he lay twitching in a pile of broken twigs, branches and leaves.  
  
"Why'zzit always happen to me?" he questioned a passing squirrel. The creature simply stared at him for a moment before scampering forward and biting him on the nose. As Hanagata threw his head back and howled in pain, the squirrel snatched up the pile of acorns covered only moments ago by Hanagata's right shoulder and stood chattering furiously at the young blonde man before scampering off into the trees.  
  
Hanagata simply lay there as the world spun around him, clutching a hand to his face, unable to decide what hurt more... his recently injured nose, his battered and bruised body, or the ache inside his heart...  
  
"O...ta...ru...kun....."  
  
It was so unfair. What had he ever done but love his soul mate will all his heart, mind, and strength? And what had Otaru ever done but ignore him, beat him, or...  
  
"Allow those evil marionettes to hurt me," Hanagata whimpered, deciding once and for all that his body hurt the most as he accidentally rolled his back over a rather large twig. "Ahh! If only he could really see... how awful those machines of his are... if only... if only he could see... could see..."  
  
The world was rapidly spinning around him, however...  
  
"Could see... that I alone..."  
  
A vague white fog began to lower itself across his vision and settle onto his eyelashes, thereby bringing them lower and lower with each passing second...  
  
"That I, the manly... Mitsurugi.... am...."  
  
The world around him faded into the white mist.  
  
"...the only one for him...."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
As the first rays of sunlight peered through the shutters and slanted across the dingy kitchen floor, CinderHana shivered beneath his ragged blanket and burrowed even further into the pile of ashes that served as his bed, as if doing so could somehow shut out the painful day that lay ahead of him.  
  
"Myaoh Myaoh?"  
  
"Ah, Ponta-kun," CinderHana whispered sadly, reaching out a slender hand to scratch the maroon creature's tiny ears. "How did this happen to me, my friend? How did I fall so low in life?"  
  
"Myaaaohhhh..." the ponta purred sympathetically, nuzzling its little snout against CinderHana's grimy palm.  
  
"Thank you, dear friend," CinderHana whispered. "That means a lot."  
  
Of course, the young man new very well how he'd fallen so low in life... but to this day, he wasn't certain what he had done to deserve it. For the first nine years of his life, he'd lived happily with his father Kamatarou in this very house on the outskirts of Japoness and had never wanted for anything, especially love. But on his tenth birthday, his father had taken to wife a recently widowed marionette named Bloodberry. And on that day, all CinderHana's troubles began. Although Bloodberry and her daughters Lime and Cherry were sweet and demure in Kamatarou's presence, they became cold and cruel the minute his back was turned. And when Kamatarou died suddenly a year later, they were finally free to show their true colors. From that day forth, CinderHana had been little more than a slave to his wicked stepfamily, forced to cook for, care for, and clean up after them at all hours of the day and night. If he ever so much as performed his duties even a step below their sky high standards, he was sure to receive a sound beating from one or more of them. And seeing as even the smallest of them was far stronger than CinderHana had ever been even in the days when he was properly fed and rested, the young man had no hope of ever being able to defend himself from them.  
  
As if these things weren't enough to make CinderHana's life merry Hell, the marionette women were also far uglier than sin itself. In fact, the surest way for CinderHana to receive a crippling beating from any one of them was to do less than enthusiastically praise the slender silhouettes of their fat bodies, the delicate curve of their blocky feet or the sweet perfume of their malodorous breath.  
  
All in all, CinderHana's was a miserable existence. And now, lying in his ash pile in the dingy and freezing kitchen, CinderHana decided that had it not been for the kindness shown to him by the Ponta-kuns that infested the house, he would surely have gone mad by now.  
  
"Myaoh-Myaoh-Myaoh?!" The Ponta cub questioned, nuzzling closer to the warm body beside him.  
CinderHana smiled sadly and scratched the little creature beneath its chin. "Yes, you simply must be starving," he soothed. "But don't worry. As always, I'll save you and your brothers and sisters some scraps from Stepmother Bloodberry's breakfast."  
"Myaoh! Myaoh!" the ponta cub replied, its ears suddenly perking up.  
  
"You're very welcome." CinderHana smiled, blissfully ignorant of the sudden terror that passed like a dark cloud over the cub's face.  
  
"Myaoh! Myaoh! MYAOH!!!!" It cried, frantically hopping up and down as it gestured towards the door.  
  
"No, really, you are. Goodness, little one! It's hardly a reason to thank me *so* vociferously!"  
  
"MEEEEEEE!!" The ponta cub screamed, abruptly leaping from the ash pile and dashing across the floor where it quickly vanished through a small hole in the wall.  
  
"Hey, wait a moment!" CinderHana cried, reaching his hand vainly after the creature. "Come back!! Where do you think you're going?! Ohhhh!" He clenched his fists. "Is that any way to treat your best human friend, ponta-kun?!?"  
  
"MEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" came the frightened whimper from within the wall.  
  
"Oh, is that so?!" Hanagata huffed. "Well, fine then! You can run off and ignore me all day if you like!! Yes, that's right! Just hide in that hole!! See if I ever --"  
  
"CinderHana!" the young man gulped and froze in place as the door to the kitchen slammed open. "O--oh!" he stammered, turning around and flashing a pleasant smile at the three figures who lumbered into the room. "G--good morning, my beautiful, young mistresses!"  
  
"Well, well, looks like the little prince is finally awake!" Bloodberry snorted, giving Hanagata a brutal gap-toothed smile. Inwardly, Hanagata shuddered. Yes, his stepmother and her daughters were without a doubt the most hideous marionettes ever created. Stepmother Bloodberry's hips and thighs were so wide, she had ordered CinderHana to enlarge every doorway in the house to allow her to enter a room without getting stuck. And despite her many efforts, not even the most costly red hair dyes or the biggest brassieres in the Kingdom of Japoness could disguise her graying hair or her sagging bosoms. And the most costly makeup did little to hide her blemishes or those of her younger daughter, Lime, whose figure took after her mother in everything but her teeth, which were as crooked as a row of gravestones. Cherry was the only truly thin one of the three, but even that did not make her beautiful. Shaped like a rail with as many poc marks as her sister possessed, Cherry was far from being beautiful. And aside from that, she was also a picky eater.  
  
And now, to make CinderHana's morning even worse than it already was after waking up in a pile of ashes, the three marionettes were dangerously advancing towards him.  
  
"So glad you could join us this morning, 'prince'. Now get up! There's work to be done!" Bloodberry hissed.  
  
"Y--yes, Stepmother Bloodberry," CinderHana quickly rose from his ash pile and curtsied to the marionettes. "Do you wish me to make your breakfast first? Or make your beds? Or --"  
  
CinderHana audibly gulped as a wicked grin simultaneously crossed the three marionettes' faces. And as they reached for him, he realized this morning would be no different from any morning since he'd become a slave in his own home.  
  
"Oh, I think I'll let my daughters play with you first," Bloodberry purred. "Wouldn't you like that, girls?"  
  
"Hai, Mother!!"  
  
"Then carry on."  
  
And soon, every Ponta-kun in the house huddled into their holes, nooks and crannies in abject terror as CinderHana's screams of pain rang throughout the countryside.  
  
(End Part One) 


	2. Chapter 2

CinderHana  
Chapter Two  
A Saber Marionette J Fan Fic  
by  
Lady Aoi  
  
Summary: Part two. Prince Otaru is sad. What can the Kings of Japoness do to cheer him up? Why throw him a ball, of course!  
Rating: PG for mild cursing and even milder shonen-ai.  
Disclaimer: I don't own SMJ but I am now the proud owner of a J to X art book ^_~.   
Aoi's Notes: Again, some strange choices will be made in this fic (pairing wise, character wise) and some characters may seem way OOC. But please keep in mind that this is Hanagata's dream and therefore a purposefully innacurat representation of reality. And in another note, I'm still blaming all of you M2A people for this. And Inu, Baka, thanks for the suggestions ^_^.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Are you sure you saw your brother flying into the forest, Yumeji?" Mamiya Otaru questioned, looking down at the small blonde boy and the ponta cub perched on his shoulders.  
  
"Myaoh!!"  
  
Yumeji nodded. "Ponta-kun and me were playing shogi when it happened. Mamiya-san, can you please help me look for him? I think he might be hurt or something!"  
  
"Heh, there's nothing to worry about, Yume-chan," Cherry said, setting her bag of groceries down on the table. "He'll come home in a few hours when he gets hungry, just like he always does."  
  
"Mouuu, Cherry-chan!" Yumeji whimpered, giving the red-haired marionette a pitiable look. "I know Onii-sama can be a dumb ass sometimes --"  
  
"Not that anyone ever disputed *that*," Bloodberry muttered as she unpacked her grocery bag.  
  
"-- But you guys really threw him far this time," Yumeji continued, shooting Bloodberry a nasty look. "I mean, he flew right over the playground and way far into the forest. He flew so far into there, that when Ponta-kun and I went looking for him, we couldn't find him. Huh, Ponta-kun?"  
  
"Myaaaahhhhh." the little creature purred, vigorously shaking its head.  
  
"So? Hana-ko always comes home eventually," Bloodberry said, closing the cupboard and turning around to face Yumeji. "Besides, when was the last time you remember him getting hurt, Yumeji?"   
  
"But, Bloodberry!" Yumeji sighed. "There's lots of wild animals in the forest! Like lions and tigers and bears --"  
  
"Oh my!" Cherry exclaimed, raising a hand to her mouth.  
  
"So, please, guys?" Yumeji begged, giving everyone in the room, man and marionette alike, a pleading look. "Please help me find Onii-sama before he gets really hurt this time."  
  
Silence reigned for a long moment before Lime smiled and patted Yumeji's head.  
  
"Don't worry, Yume-chan," she said. "We'll find Hannie-chan and make sure he's alright, Huh, Otaru?"  
  
Otaru sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Alright, alright I'll go," he said. "But we're only gonna look for a few hours at the most, okay, Yumeji? The girls and I have a lot of work to do today."  
  
"Really?" Yumeji flashed the room a gapped-tooth grin before hugging Otaru around the waist. "Wow! Thanks a lot, Otaru-san!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, it's nothing, Yumeji," Otaru replied, trying to wriggle out of Yumeji's hug. Honestly, the boy could cling just about as tightly as his big brother could! "Let's just get this over with as fast as possible, okay everyone?"  
  
"Hehehe, okaaaaay!" Lime giggled. "Mou, everyone! Last one to the forest is a rotten egg!"  
  
"Hey, Lime, wait for us!" Yumeji cried, releasing Otaru and chasing after the marionette.  
  
"Myah myah myahhhhhhhh!!"  
  
Otaru sighed and turned to face Cherry and Bloodberry. "How do we get ourselves into these things?" he asked them.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Across Japoness, and far away from the home in which Lime and Cherry were currently tossing CinderHana back and forth like a ball, stood Castle Japoness. This tall and magnificent palace was made of gold and silver and gleamed like a beacon in the morning sunlight, as if to provide all of Terra Two a visual testimony of its rulers' goodness.   
  
At one point, the palace had been inhabited by the country's shogun, Iyesu Tokugawa and his handsome son, Obiichi Soemon. And upon the shogun's untimely death, his beautiful dark-haired child had inherited both the palace and the shogunate just in time to face an invasion from Gartlant, Japoness' northern neighbor. Undaunted by Gartlant's military might and the cruelty of its Fuhrer, Faust von Gelthard, the young shogun had rallied the entire nation behind him and within months Gartlant's forces were defeated. At that time, however, popular rumor held that Gartlant's defeat had come about not only because of Soemon's courage and strategic prowess but because Gartlant's Fuhrer had fallen head over heels in love while fighting the remarkable young man. Thus, few people in either nation were surprised when Faust officially surrendered to Japoness by kneeling before their leader and humbly pleading for his hand in marriage. But both nations were downright flabbergasted when Japoness' shogun not only accepted, but helped Faust to his feet and passionately kissed him on the spot. The two were married in a fortnight, and nine months later the cloning of their son Otaru Mamiya was complete.   
  
In the next sixteen years, Prince Otaru grew from a crying baby into wise, talented and beautiful young man. Although his olive skin and eyes as well as his raven hair bore little resemblance to those belonging to either of his parents, both Soemon and Faust were pleasantly surprised by the fact that their young son almost perfectly resembled the late shogun. And, apparently Japoness' subjects felt the same way, for as the young Prince grew, so too did their love for him, until it reached the point of near fanatical devotion. Believing that their young sovereign had, indeed, saved their nation from certain destruction at Faust's hands (after all, why else would Gartlant's Fuhrer have surrendered so easily unless he'd wanted to marry into such a fine line of leaders?), many Japoness subjects had dubbed the lad 'The Hero of Japoness'. It was almost impossible for Prince Otaru to leave the Castle without being hailed either by this title or by "Banzai, Otaru!" Or, for that matter, without seeing at least one merchant hawking Prince Otaru tee shirts, trading cards, plushies, bumper stickers, breakfast cereal and 'The Prince that Disarmed a Nation': The Official Biography of Prince Mamiya Otaru. However, all the beach towels, paper dolls and Prince Otaru pajamas weren't enough for some people. In fact, many citizens had taken it upon themselves to dress, speak and act exactly like their national idol, so that even the smallest change in Prince Otaru's wardrobe -- even something as minor as a slight change in the color of his usually blue doublet -- caused an immediate run on all such items as his many rabid fans pushed their way into clothing stores all over Japoness in the pursuit of locating and purchasing the latest 'Otar-o'.   
  
And yet, despite his nation's great love for him, Prince Otaru was a very lonely young man. And this apparent contradiction both puzzled and disturbed almost everyone in the castle, including the kings themselves. And so one morning, the pair summoned their son before them for an audience.  
  
"Otaru, my son," King Soemon said gravely as he looked down from his throne at the young man before him. "It has come to my attention and that of your father that you seem troubled as of late. Is this so?"  
  
"Well, I --"  
  
"Have you been meditating?"  
  
"Yes, Papa."  
  
"And practicing the kenpo I have taught you?"  
  
"Yes, Papa."  
  
"And properly caring for yourself?"  
  
Prince Otaru's brow furrowed slightly in consternation. "Ahh... yes, Papa. But, why? What does this have to do with how I feel?"  
  
"Otaru," Soemon said coolly. "You are not only a prince of the realm, but a student of this ancient and venerable tradition. Therefore, I hardly need to remind you of your duty to both your country and yourself when it comes to speaking the truth. Now, I will ask you again; what is troubling you?"  
  
"........."  
  
"Otaru?"  
  
"....Nothing, Papa."  
  
"I see." King Soemon frowned slightly as he shifted back into his throne's red velvet cushions. "In that case, you will not mind washing the entire West Corridor's floor with a toothbrush this afternoon."  
  
Prince Otaru's face twitched slightly at this order. "But, Papa --"  
  
"Consider it not only a lesson in patience and detail, Otaru, but an exercise in learning the nature of Truth. Like the West Corridor's dirty floor, Truth is often hidden beneath a layer of grime that only hard work and careful attention can remove. Do you understand, son?"  
  
"I understand that you want me to scrub the floor, but that's about it."  
  
King Soemon's brow furrowed slightly. "Then you are dismissed."  
  
"Yes, Papa," Otaru rose, bowed to his fathers, and left the throne room.  
  
As soon as his son was well out of hearing, King Soemon sighed and rested his head in his hand. "I don't understand it," he said to the blonde man embroidering in the throne beside his. "I have tried everything with that boy, discipline, coaxing, downright begging! And yet, has he ever attempted to explain what is troubling him?" Again, the dark haired King sighed. "What do you think, beloved?" he asked, turning to the man next to him. "You've seen how he behaves. Do you see any way for me to reach him?"  
  
"You're being too hard on the boy, Soemon," King Faust replied, not looking up from his needle work.  
  
"Too hard on him?!" King Soemon sputtered. "How can you possibly say that, Faust?!"  
  
"Because you of all men should be able to see what is going on."  
  
Soemon felt his brow furrow. "I have no idea what you are talking about."  
  
"Of course not. Otherwise you would not be asking for my help," the blonde king replied, putting his embroidery aside as he rose from his throne. "Soemon, have you not observed how lonely our son truly is?"  
  
"How can he possibly be lonely when the entire kingdom worships the ground he walks upon?"  
  
Faust frowned slightly. "Be careful when you say that, my love. Because worship can be a very dangerous thing."  
  
"Explain yourself, Faust."  
  
"Darling," Faust continued, seating himself on the arm of Soemon's throne. "Let us pretend for a moment that I worshipped you."  
  
"I thought you already did, my dearest," Soemon teased, taking one of Faust's hands and pressing his lips to it.  
  
The blonde king frowned and pulled his hand away. "I'm entirely serious, Soemon," he said, shooting his husband a nasty look. "If I worshipped you, do you honestly believe you would get a moment's respite? I would follow you from room to room, waiting on you hand and foot, praising your every action, perhaps even your every breath even if you did not need nor want anything from me. I would dress like you, act like you, and spend every waking hour and possibly some of my hours asleep dwelling on nothing but you and you alone. Now, don't you think that such behavior would prove at least a little tiring after awhile?"  
  
"Faust," Soemon said, rising from his throne. "I can see where this is leading, and I must say that, while I have always trusted your judgment, this time you are gravely mistaken."  
  
"Oh, am I, now?" Faust cooed, batting his eyes mockingly.  
  
"Indeed, you are. While our subjects' adoration of our son may prove a bit... difficult to deal with at times, it is by no means the boy's problem."  
  
"Soemon, really. Can you remember the last time you, Otaru and I left the palace without being mobbed by rabid Otaru fans clamoring for autographs and pictures?"  
  
"Yes, and for nobility, that is simply a fact of life as you should know," Soemon explained. "And besides, our body guards not only fended off the more... enthusiastic of them, but our laws impose the harshest penalties on all who attempt to get too familiar with the Crown Prince in public."  
  
"And the merchandise? The Otaru pajamas? The candles? The dolls? In the name of God, the SAKE?!"  
  
"Simply free enterprise capitalism in operation. I find this use of our son's image just as distasteful as you do, Faust, but we can do nothing to stop it."  
  
"We're the kings of this country, Soemon. It seems to me that we could everything to stop it." Faust said, darkly.  
  
"This is hardly the dictatorship of Gartlant, husband, and you are hardly a dictator anymore," Soemon soothed, leaning up to kiss Faust's blonde locks. "So, let us talk no more about punishing our people. We both know that turning Japoness into a totalitarian state would not make our son happy."  
  
Faust scowled for a moment and then leaned into Soemon's kisses. "Very well," he replied, slipping his hand into Soemon's. "But the problem still remains. Don't you see it, my love? Our son has been worshipped since the moment he was born, but out of all his rabid fans, has one ever taken the time to truly get to know him and, dare I say it, truly love him?"  
  
".... I see. You believe our son would be happy if he found someone to love?"  
  
"And someone who loved him equally in return, yes," Faust nodded as he reached up to caress Soemon's hair. "Not a flatterer, not a merchandiser, not a biographer. Lord knows, he has plenty of them. Soemon, before I... before I met you, I was the loneliest man on the face of Terra Two. But the day we called a truce and the day you accepted my hand in marriage... from that day forth, I have never been lonely or sad. And I feel that if Otaru were to marry the person he truly loved, his sorrows would vanish as well"  
  
"My dearest Faust," Soemon purred, reaching up to caress his husband's neck. "You never cease to amaze me. Very well, let us do our best to find this person for our son. Now, how do you propose we go about doing so?"   
  
"Do you remember the ball you held in my honor the night we were wed?"  
  
"Mhh... how could I ever forget it?" Soemon chuckled. "You were a vision in that silver and blue uniform."  
  
"I've always wanted to hold such a dance for Otaru. We will invite anyone from Japoness who wishes to attend, and then we will see if Otaru finds any of them worthy of marriage."  
  
"And what of the flatterers and worshippers?"  
  
"Otaru has faced them his entire life. It is my belief that he will see right through them," Faust replied, easing off of the throne's arm and into Soemon's lap. "Now, dearest, answer me this. Do I or do I not always know what is best for our son?"  
  
"Uncanny," Soemon chuckled, sliding his hand into Faust's hair, "Uncanny indeed." and the two leaned in to share a long and passionate kiss.  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Outside the throne room, Prince Otaru looked away from the crack in the door and sighed. Shoving his hands into the pockets of his robe, he tuned away and shuffled off down the hall, his head bowed in defeat.   
  
~You just don't understand,~ Otaru thought, looking back at the closed door to the throne room. ~What's right for you isn't necessarily right for me. You guys found each other and fell in love. That's great. But you're wrong. Not everyone wants that in life.~ And thinking this, the prince bowed his head and shuffled off to find a toothbrush to clean the floor as his father had bade him.  
  
(End Part Two) 


End file.
